The Washington Winch sits deep in the forest east of Swifts Creek and is the last one of its particular type left in Australia. It was made by the Washington Iron Works company in Seattle. This unique winch was one of two machines imported in 1920 to operate in the Karri forests of WA. Both machines were later purchased by the Forests Commission after the 1939 bushfires for salvage logging at Toorongo to drive elaborate "high lead" cable systems. This particular machine was later sold to Jack Ezard from Swifts Creek in 1959 where it operated on its current site until about 1961. The fate of the second machine is unknown. It was possibly cannibalised for parts. The Ezards were innovative sawmillers who introduced high lead logging into Victoria. They had owned and operated sawmills in the Warburton area from 1907, before shifting to Erica in Gippsland in 1932. Bulldozers and powerful logging trucks eventually made steam and the Washington Winch redundant. The winch is listed on the State Heritage Register. Only one of its kindBrass identification plate recovered from the Washington Winch near Swifts Creek 21 cm in diameter11 x 14 refers to the double drums The serial number is assumed to be 3832forest harvesting

Government of Victoria. Public Works Department. Master plan for the Loddon-Campaspe Regional Service Sandhurst Centre. [produced by] J Swan Chief architect, approved by B.W. Swan. Shows a brick Administration building, 6 [accommodation?] brick buildings (to be remodelled), the site for a new kitchen & amenities building, TDU no 1, BMU, TDU no 2 (new buildings), sites for maintenance workshops, vegetable garden. Also shows a residence, garage, recreation oval, with 3 existing weatherboard buildings, galvanised iron building, a weatherboard grandstand, a galvanised iron shed, fowl shed, 14 galvanised iron buildings [probably Nissan huts] and 2 toilet blocks. Location unknown 16.02.2023.bendigo, institutions, sandhurst boys centre, victoria public works dept; plans; sandhurst boys centre; j.swan

Prepared by the Public Works Department for the Government of Victoria. Client is the Mental Health Department, Municipality is City of Bendigo. Site plan of area bounded by O'Dwyer St and Finn St, North Bendigo. Handwritten note on back - Update of whole centre 10/4/91. Details include: oval, tennis court, grandstand, area is bounded by an un-named watercourse. Also indicated are 14 nissen huts, 2 toilet blocks, 3 weatherboard buildings, 1 galvanised iron building,2 galvanised iron sheds (one new), residence, garage, fowl shed, and a carpark. bendigo, institutions, sandhurst boys centre, sandhurst boys centre site plan;